It is important to determine how an aircraft will perform in flight conditions in order to determine whether drag on the aircraft can be reduced. Many prior art methods measure expected aircraft in-flight performance, such as the deflections of the wings, by testing the aircraft while in flight. The prior art methods may experience one or more problems such as difficulty in measuring the aircraft while in the air, prolonged time to conduct testing of the aircraft during flight, and difficulties experienced during flight, amongst other types of problems.
A method of measuring an aircraft under simulated flight-loads, while the aircraft is not in flight, is needed which may solve or reduce one or more problems associated with one or more of the prior art in-flight measuring methods.